Le Mercury in Islington

Delicious food and great service . One of my favourite French restaurants in London

I had the most delightful experience dining at Le Mercury! The ambiance was charming and cosy, the food was absolutely delicious and the staff were incredibly helpful and attentive throughout the meal. I left feeling completely satisfied and looking for my next visit! 😘

Loved the decoration and vibes of the place. The food was good and the service. The table we got wasn't the best because it was near the door and it was a bit cool but for the rest everything was great. They offer vegan and vegetarian options and one vegan dessert.

Went there for a pre-theatre meal. The starters were great but the mains were terrible. One burger was raw so it was returned. The chicken breast was tough and the mushroom pasta was tasteless. Vey disappointed.

Excellent food and pleasant staff 🙏

Food was edible but lacked flavour. I had the camembert which was luke warm and barely melted. The duck was flavourless and chewy along with a bland sauce. The menu itself is not very French. I do wonder why so many people like this place from the reviews but maybe because the ingredients are fresh!?

Walking down Upper Street and thought I'd ask if there was a table. Been here before but years ago and place hasn't changed. Menu of classic dishes, well made and service very pleasant and efficient. Had the duck breast - cooked to a perfect pinkness - with creamy mash and cabbage and a jus. My brother had great shoulder of lamb with potato gratin and beans. Both meals well cooked and perfect comfort food on a miserable wet night. Bottle of smooth Malbec to go with dinner. And maybe more amazing than good food and service is the incredible reasonable price. Looking forward to coming back.

Food was OK and fresh ingredients used, but lacked flavour and seasoning, kinda bland still. Had the lobster ravioli but couldn't really taste much of it. Waitresses not very welcoming, I understand it was busy, but should at least crack a smile when entering and when leaving too! The restaurant theme is very French and vintage, but the food options was more like modern European. The menu on the Fork website is different from what is offered in-house

Rude staff. Served by Andrea and carmen. In the two hours they didn’t smile. The chicken was dry and the mushroom sauce was dry. We gave at 15 pound tip and they pretty much said that wasn’t enough and kicked up out! Even though no one checked on us. Smiled she’s issued with food. Better not to to tip

We had a lovely dinner here. The staff were very nice and helpful and we loved the atmosphere. We both had steak which was cooked well and the waiter recommended a wine to complement it

Rude staff. Served by Andrea and carmen. In the two hours they didn’t smile. The chicken was dry and the mushroom sauce was dry. We gave at 15 pound tip and they pretty much said that wasn’t enough and kicked up out! Even though no one checked on us. Smiled she’s issued with food. Better not to to tip

Cozy with a romantic ambiance, the food and service was great. Orchids and candlelight everywhere, can't wait to go back. It will definitely be soon.

Great place in the Tiny Corner of Upper Street.

I think it's all relative. That's why I have given them 5 stars. It is a quaint, almost old-fashioned set-up with a menu of significant variety. After visiting a neighbouring Italian restaurant with my octogenarian Mother + a couple of others, we sat and realised we were not in the place we wanted to be, so we decided to visit the neighbouring Le Mercury. The Manager accommodated us in one of the raised booths and a lovely man waited on us, as well as Lorena (thank you Lorena). We were really contented. There are few restaurants that try to do the best they can and there's always going to be customers who might be less than satisfied. We were not among them. We will come back soon.

Fantastic place! Very old school, no frills, just solid home cooking. It felt like a real treat to just have a simple, inexpensive, home cooked meal in (relatively) central London! We had avocado toast, baked camembert, beef borguignon, slow cooked lamb, banoffee pie and apple cake. It was all fresh, tasty and the lamb was actually knockout. Also the side of green beans and broccoli was fresh not frozen veg, which is sadly more of a rarity these days. The place is grubby but absolutely charming :)

If you fancy small french candle dinner this is the place for you. Lovely food selection of starters, wine and mains plus great desserts. Cosy and lovely atmosphere. Last time we visited this spot was in 2018 and the quality and atmosphere remains the same. Great Gem in Angel!

What a cute find this restaurant is, walked by it by chance and the staff couldnt be more accommodating. The Beef Bourguignon was delicious, topped off with Apple Pie... I loved the fun theatre decor, a great place to sit and watch the world go by. Loved it!

I'm surprised to see a couple of recent negative reviews. I've been coming here since I lived nearby 25 years ago and my last three visits have all been excellent. It's bigger than it looks, with additional rooms upstairs, but always feels cosy and romantic. There offer a great selection of typical French dishes, properly cooked and nicely presented. The service is good, although it can be very busy at times. The prices are very reasonable and it's somewhere you should try if you're looking for lunch or dinner on Upper Street.

The atmosphere is very rustic, especially if you have special private round tables. If you're on the hunt for a new dining spot, I'd highly recommend giving this place a try! In my opinion, the food is decent and worth the price. But what sets this restaurant apart is the unique ambience - it's the perfect spot for a memorable dinner date. Just be sure to plan and make a reservation, otherwise, you may find yourself waiting outside for quite some time. 😉

Very good value for money. Highly recommend and delicious food.

Delicious food and attentive service at a fantastic price! The ambiance was lovely and quaint, and added to whole experience.

DON'T GO HERE IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES! I normally like dining at La Mercury but something happened yesterday which is simply not good enough. For context, I have a severe nut allergy. I ordered the baked goat's cheese for my starter and nowhere on the menu did it say that it contained almonds. When it arrived it had almonds sprinkled on top so naturally I notified the waitress about my allergy, told her that there was no mention of almonds on the menu and asked if they could remake the dish for me. When they returned with the new dish, I was still cautious and double checked with the waitress that it didn't contact any almonds. She took it back to the kitchen and reassured me. I took a bite and noticed that they just scraped the almonds off of the top of the dish and there were still almonds under the goats cheese. Luckily I must have not ate any of the almonds in that first bite but this is simply not good enough. If you're going to be serving food - you need to be cautious of customer's allergies. This is a standard in the dining industry!

Food was so delicate and lovely and tasty

Food delicious, tables a bit too small

Very cute set up and a cosy vibe Love the pan fried sea trout

I am deeply troubled by the treatment my mum and I received at this restaurant.We were turned away upon arrival, with the excuse of being fully booked despite there being several empty seats. This excuse crumbled when we called again to inquire, only to be met with the revelation that they could indeed seat a party of six. The inconsistency and apparent dishonesty in their practices raise serious concerns about their integrity. I wonder if our inquiries about seating were met with discrimination, especially given the empty restaurant and the fact that we are black, my mother is disabled and I was with my baby. Such behavior is unacceptable and reflects poorly on the establishment's values. I urge others to consider whether they want to support a business that may engage in discriminatory practices.

Excellent food brilliant price. Highly recommended 👌

Firstly whilst I am giving 4 stars as average rating, I highly recommend this place for the value for money. Where do you find these days a place where the starter is less than £5, and main course under £14, and you get full and classic French and done properly? The place is a bit quirky and not the most fanciest of the place, but it definitely is a good place to eat good French. I’d say I’d preferred duck to be med rare and steak tartare to be more spicy, but otherwise the food was perfect.

Interesting French food. Food was good

I agree entirely with Sophie in Manchester. What a let down. Shame. The owners of this establishment had a fabulous reputation for running an excellent restaurant and they seem to be throwing it away recklessly.

Went with my girlfriend, really nice meal. I had the halibut, she had steak. Lovely atmosphere, quite romantic. I would definitely recommend.

Cute little restaurant with very good food and good vibe. Will be going back.

Fantastic tasty food and incredible value. Vegetables and sides included with the main are lovely.

Lost some of it's past excellence

Just not what it used to be at all. It was such a let down. Starters were cold, food was ‘heated up’ and the really random booths need to go. I’m sorry but it’s just not a vibe. The waitress was rude, the toilets were dingy and the whole place looks like it’s on it last legs. I’d avoid if you've previously been pre covid, and I’d avoid if you haven’t. Either way.

Date night. Staff were friendly and fun. Food was good. Desserts could be better, so finished off with an Irish Coffee, yum! Really nice place and good value for money.

I have been to Le Mercury many times. It’s great value for money and has an affordable menu with a good range of dishes. The atmosphere is always great. Would be perfect for a date night.

Charming. Super food. Substantial and tasty. Set menu - 2 courses under £20 each. Definitely would book again. Opposite from Almeida Theatre is so perfect pre show meal.

We stumbled upon this restaurant and I’m glad we did. Delicious food and very reasonably priced especially for London. The service was excellent too!

We came across this restaurant randomly by strolling through the city. We had a look at the menu and it all sounded really nice, so we went in. It's very cozy inside there is not much room to move around and you sit quite close to one another, but it's part of the charm for this place. The food was excellent and served timely. I had the duck breast which was perfectly cooked. Everything on the menu sounds delicious so a repeat visit is recommended! Prices are very good. The service was friendly. We both felt this is a gem of a restaurant and can highly recommend it.

One of the best traditional French restaurants in London. Super tasty food, top service and unbelievably good prices for London. Dont miss this out, could be your go to place.

It's not the same as a few years ago .. this time the manager was a bit rude to us wanting us to pay for some people that didn't show up and then when we ordered starters some people got three king prawns and some others got 4 and 5 ....it should be the same all around ...the main course meal tasted great but some of us had cold meat etc

I booked this place in November to celebrate Christmas day in December. However, a week before Christmas, I received an email saying that my booking was cancelled. I called the restaurant and a rude person said I needed to pay a deposit to secure my table. I said I would pay, but he said I should do this over the phone, which is a bit dodgy considering that I booked this restaurant via their website. So I decided to check their website and the booking confirmation email and… they didn’t say anything about a deposit. I wouldn’t pay paying a deposit if this was explicitly said since the initial booking. Now it just feels like a scam. Definitely will not recommend this place to anyone as they seem to have a poor costumer service

Lovely little spot for a very reasonably priced set menu, excellent food , good wine and a great atmoshpere with good service.

Loved it! Food was delicious and such good value.

I have been here a couple of times in the past and had found this place offered reasonably priced food. I don’t think anything stood out for me. I’m my recent outing, the food also feel a bit lacklustre. It might be partly due to the fact that my friends organised to have our Christmas meal here and we chose from the Christmas menu - which wasn’t particularly French. The crab starter was decent, but I was disappointed with the cheese plate.

I was so pleasantly surprised to see this restaurant still open around 5 years after I last visited. Not only is it still open, but the quality, service and ambience are just how I remember them — perhaps even better! There aren’t many places I can say the same about. It’s an amazing option for dinner, with so many food options and a great wine list, and exceptionally priced. Looking forward to visiting again soon!

We had a brilliant evening as a family dining at Le Mercury. The service was warm and attentive and we had some delicious food in a cosy atmosphere. Thank you for a lovely evening, we really appreciated it. :)

Good food, not too expensive considering the location

This neighborhood French restaurant is definitely deserving of your time. Candle lit and intimate, you get the impression not much has changed in 20 years. A very drinkable house red. We had the roast poussin (delish) followed by the best creme brulé I've ever had. Prices are very good too. Only thing I could fault them on is the toilets could do with a spruce up.

Jeepers, this place took me back in time. I used to frequent this joint over a decade ago, when you used to be able to smoke indoors. Thought I'd pay them a visit for old times' sake - I wasn't let down. It was heaving, a lot of ppl during the 1930hrs booking, but we were eventually seated after loitering briefly by the door. We were sat upstairs, pressure relief to the congested ground floor. What followed on was excellent service combined with great food. All in all, a wonderful experience, and a truly worthwhile trip up from South London.

Delicious and very tasty food at very reasonable prices. Service was exceptional also!

Amazing food for a reasonable price. The duck is especially perfect!

점심에 우연히 들렀다가 음식도 맛있고 서비스도 좋아서 저녁도 예약해 코스로 먹었습니다. 짧은 코스인데도 알차고 배부르게 먹었어요. 특히 콜리플라워 스테이크에 깜짝 놀랐답니다. 밑에 김치가 깔려 있는데 야채들과 조합이 정말 좋아요.. 근데 스타터도 메인도 디저트도 모두 다 맛있어서 우열을 가릴 수가 없네요. 가성비도 좋고 분위기도 예쁘고요. 점심에 왔다 간걸 기억하시고 빵도 더주시고 기분 좋은 식사였습니다. 런던 올때마다 들르려고요 ♥️

Our air BnB host recommended this restaurant. It is a gem. The food was so tasty. The service was impeccable, we could not fault it. Prices are very reasonable and the food portions very adequate. It’s fills up quickly which creates a lovely atmosphere so do as we did and get there around 7 or reserve a table so you don’t miss out. bon appétit

Had my birthday party here last night and had a really excellent time! Even though there were 25 of us, the food came out really quickly and was absolutely delicious - everyone rated it really highly. We did the party offer that was £16.80 for three courses and the portions were huge! Great atmosphere in the upstairs room and service from Vlada was brilliant - she almost single-handedly took care of us all night, was incredibly friendly and helpful, and always had a smile on her face! Such an asset to the restaurant. It's a perfect venue for a delicious meal with friends and a great place to celebrate in style - thank you for making it a top night! Will definitely be back :)

Really good value French-style food. Had a lovely 3 course lunch for the price of a main in a pub.

I hadn't been to le Mercury for years. No reason, just lockdown etc. Am pleased to say it was as good as I remember. Excellent food, still reasonable prices, and our waiter was great. Am not going to leave it another few years this time...

Disappointing beef, Chilean merlot no great. Unhappy to have tried it.

Steak wasn't 100%. For those who know how to fry a steak will probably be a little bit disappointed. Chips and raw beef rest was really good!

Excellent place! We found this little nook very spontaneously but it was such a treat. Went there with a friend and the interiors were so cozy yet stunning. We got sat right by the window and and the service was really lovely. We ordered four starters that included one with prawns, the camembert, the goats cheese and the aubergine one and they all tasted amazing. the bread they served went very well with our food and some delicious wine! all of that came to about £28. overall was a great experience! suitable for more intimate dinners rather than big groups as the restaurant is quite on the smaller side.

Had the 3-course prix fixe menu which was really lovely, and great value for money. The decor is a little unusual and dated, but the service and quality of the food make that irrelevant. Definitely recommend it.

Le Mercury it's best restaurant in London. Food it's fantastic, service is very professional and ambient it's absolutely amazing specially with balconies. Definitely I will come back

A cosy restaurant serving French style cuisine. Has a rather interesting decor with mock theatre booths which you can dine in... although you probably will need to crouch to fit into. Food represents very good value for money with starters approx £6 and mains from £14 with good Service too. Recommended.

Very charming place. Great food and has always been strangely good value.

Food is better than the interior - this restaurant needs to close and spend money on interior redecoration- looks extremely tired- toilets are pretty horrible and paintwork, walls and the overall ‘finish’ can only be replaced. Food was surprisingly good compared to decor- and service was good (friendly and efficient), but the physical space lets it down. Sadly makes me question cleanliness of the whole place… Also VERY inaccessible for anyone with mobility issues.

Set in the heart of Islington, Le Mercury is a culinary institution. From funny and entertaining decor to rich and tasty food, it has it all. The staff were welcoming and pleasant, providing excellent service, despite being a small team. The menu has a lot to offer in terms of options. We had the prawns and ravioli for starters, which were delightful. The steak was the main course of the night but, despite being enjoyable, was rather chewy and fatty. This is my only criticism of the experience and the one aspect preventing me from giving 5 stars. The crème brûlée and cheese board for dessert were a lovely sharing combo. Overall it was a splendid night with a warm, cosy vibe. I will certainly be returning.

Dined (if you can call it dining) with my partner and had a dreadful experience!! Upon arrival the waitress was cold and difficult about our booking. We placed our order but when the food arrived and we started to eat, it was raw and under cooked to the point that the waitress commented about it before we even said anything. Despite this, they still tried to charge full price!! The decor was poor! We sat in an unfinished booth with screws, bolts and brackets were fully exposed. The seats were dirty, the walls were dirty and the toilets had no soap!! Neither health and safety nor hygiene was high on the agenda I would not recommend this restaurant.

Had Sunday lunch there. Good food at great price.

Such a beautiful place. The food and service were amazing. The prices are really good. I don't see how this place doesn't have queues down the street!

3 courses with wine for £35pp. Very reasonable. The food is well presented but I felt the overall taste and composition of dishes was a little lacklustre. I've been a few times and felt the same but for the price in the area it's a decent and easy dinner spot. If higher-end French french fare is your aim, it's not currently offering this but it still has a charm.

I used to go here when I worked in Islington in the ‘90s and was delighted to see that it’s still open! Took my son to celebrate his degree results. He and I both loved it!!

We booked a table for 5 adults and a baby, and advised we had a buggy. Arrived and we were seated on a table under a canopy so no where for the buggy, asked for a high chair and was told no. Its clear on their website they can provide one. My daughter and grandson ( 8 months) left without eating. We informed the waitress but wasn’t bothered about it, poor customer service. We won’t be back

Best shoulder of lamb I had in my 28 years of existence, a good attention to details from the waiters too. Couldn’t have had spent my anniversary in a better place. Will come back ☺️

Scelto per caso. Ambiente carino, stile teatro. Piatti buoni, prezzi, per Londra, altrettanto buoni.

Lovely restaurant, romantic, With excellent friendly service and a very good for value 3 course menu for London.

Couldn't fault this place at all. Amazing value lunch deal, tasty food, friendly service.

Absolutely lovely evening meal. Great and welcoming staff, honest and delicious food. Loved it 30 years ago, loved it tonight. Thank you. (God that slow cooked lamb was good). Ace.

10/10, amazing food, cute decor and the food is so yummy! Service is pleasant, will be a regular for sure!

Seriously? Just eaten at Le Mercury this eve, trust me, I am fussy with steak but the rib eye this evening was superb, we have been coming here for years, such small nice, friendly cool place, well done, we will be back.

Lovely French meal in a bistro atmosphete at reasonable price.

Fun place great value for money winded menu. Can’t go wrong here!

Regular visitor but this was the last time. We ate late and you could tell they had given up for the night…Each course was barely edible and the mussels were off. We gave polite feedback and then they tried to justify it with us….very strange experience I won’t ever repeat. Shame as it used to be great in there.

It was better than I thought it would be. The price is very decent for the city of London, and I love it. Good authentic food at a good price without a fancy setting is all I need. Will come back again and highly recommend. Merci! :)

It's hard to fault a place that offers so much for such an accommodating price, it makes me happy to see such a place open and enjoyed by so many in a city soon to become one massive Pret A Manger. Le Mercury dialectically balances both the nouvelle and the sentimental .You should eat here. London should hold tightly onto and celebrate eateries like Le Mercury.

I used to visit quite often when I lived nearby and always loved the unpretentious atmosphere and (great value) classic French food. Having not been for over 10 years, my wife and I visited recently and were very pleased that little has changed in the meantime. Friendly, fast service and a small menu of bistro classics (which hasn't really changed, a good sign) made for a really enjoyable dinner. I ordered the pork belly again, and the unctuousness never fails to please! Very reasonably priced and always full, I recommend it.

Fabulous find. Some places just know how to get it right. Great food served in a laid back, querky atmosphere at very affordable prices. Would definitely go back

Lovely dinner here recently, very good food I treated myself to a steak which was perfectly prepared very much recommend The desserts were a bit of a let down to be honest though as I rarely order dessert it was a bit disappointing but the main did more than make up for it The service was slightly odd, I was bumped frequently by the staff member who were clearing the table as people were still eating and we got the impression we were being rushed out somewhat

We reserved a table for 19:30 - we arrived at 19:40 and were told to wait 10-15 minutes outside. We did, but other people skipped ahead of us and nothing was communicated to us, so we just left. Terrible service.

Sat outside in the sun and had a great lunch. Fantastic value for money

Charming bistro! Good French food at unexpectedly low prices.

Amazing food and amazing service - it was a perfect evening!

Great food, each course cooked to perfection, the lamb was excellent as was the steak… as were the appetisers. Good service Reasonable value for money

I was expecting more from this restaurant. Food is just ok and the atmosphere the same. We ate in one of the balconies in the ground floor and the inside was not nice. It is not pretty as the outside so you don't feel in a nice environment. Food is not very expensive but it is not quality. It was an ok afternoon but I won't return.

Amazing food had the halibut which was great large portion cooked to perfection great service would highly recommend

Amazing find eat here you won’t be disappointed had the halibut which was cooked to perfection great service and very reasonably priced a stand out on upper street

My friend and I spotted this restaurant opposite the Almeida theatre while we were stretching our legs during the interval. The prix fixe menu caught our eye so we went for an early supper around 5.30 after the show. We had beef main course which was delicious, apple tart and ice cream for pudding which was fine and after spying the starter we could have had being eaten at the next table I would go for that next time. More choice of soft drinks would have been welcomed but overall I would return for the good service, good value food and nice atmosphere.

My favourite London restaurant, by a very long way. The food at Le Mercury is yummy and reasonably priced. It reminds me of the French Le Routiers tagged restaurants: excellent food at good prices. The fact that it’s always packed speaks for itself.

First came here over 30 years ago when I lived round the corner and still coming back! First time back since before covid, food and atmosphere was still as good as it ever was. Came with now 20 Something kids and partners (their first time as adults - they were blown away with food/price/value and will be returning without me (paying). I've probably been here well over 50 times and not had a bad experience once (may be apart from having to wait for a table occasionally on a busy night). I still cant believe how good value it still is for such excellent french cuisine, maybe thats whey they are still gong (not sure how long, but I first came in the late 80's)

Incredible food, reasonably priced and wonderful atmosphere. Simply fantastic. Will definitely visit again!